Living a Better Life Your Way – walking and inner journeys

After experiencing a ‘New Year New Start’ phenomenon many times, this year the interest in making changes for a better life appears to be bigger than ever.  

We have been inundated with offers from leadership experts, business strategists, life and business coaches and authors on how to make 2023 the ‘best year ever’. 

Superlatives like legendary, magnificent, unshakeable, exceptional and extraordinary entice us to buy another book, watch another webinar, listen to another podcast that will ‘change our life for the better’.

FOMO (fear of missing out) kicks in – 'only 2 more days at this special discounted rate'. It’s easy to succumb, especially with the offer of a free taster session. 

I am guilty as charged. I fit the profile of a serial self-help course enroller and book buyer. This comes from always being curious, keen to learn and put new knowledge into action. 

However, at what point do you say ‘enough!’ Maybe it’s time to put into action what you already know. 

There will always be new things to learn, and different techniques available to refresh and make changes which reflect where we want to get to.  

Instead of looking externally for answers and a quick fix, the secret lies within. 

Go inwards, get to know who you really are, and who you want to be.

Putting in place daily positive habits takes months, sometimes years, to achieve sustainable success. Coaches and mentors have a role to play, keeping us on track, asking the right questions rather than having the answers.

It all comes down to knowing who you are, what you care about and what you are going to do about it. Knowing yourself takes time (and often this means time alone). 

Not so long ago I was down in the doldrums, wondering how I would get my mojo back. 

The fix was an easy one (and one I’ve used before). Set a stretch goal. Start small and repeat. Get a regular routine going and build confidence over time.

I wanted to push myself physically to prepare for a two-day 26 km trek, something I have not done since my husband had a stroke almost two years ago.

Each week I extended the length of my walks and introduced more hill climbs on uneven terrain. There are still a few weeks to go, yet I am feeling more confident and prepared for the challenge.

What I love about longer walks is that after about an hour I am less distracted by thoughts and more mindful of my surroundings. This is precious self-reflection time, reconnecting with who I am, and what really matters. With shorter walks I only get glimpses of this state.

Rather than being exhausted from the extra exertion, I am delighted to have increased energy for doing more stuff. The positive mood from being outdoors in nature stays with me, and I have more time for others.

Wishing you well on your journey to living a better life your way, on your terms.